Planter runner



Feb. 18, 1947.

J. H. MCINTYRE PLANTER RUNNER Filed May 31, 1946 2 sheet-sneet 2 Patented Feb. 1s, 1947 John H. McIntyre, Cisco, Tex., assignor to International Harvester Company. a corporation of New Jersey Application May s1, lua-semi No. 673,239*

This invention relates to runners employed in coniunctionwith seed planting units to .open a furrow for the reception of seed. More particularly, the invention concerns an improved mounting for planter runners.

il seed planter generally comprises a furrow opener adapted to break the soil, a, runner with a seed spout associated therewith mounted behind. the fui'row' opener to open a furrow for the deposition of seed', and a covering mechanism mounted behind the runner to cover the seed after it has beendeposited. The` entire unit is generally drawn by a tractor and is connected thereto in such a way as to permit the raising and lowering of the implement with respect to the ground.

It is known to provide tripping mechanisms for the p low bottom or other ground-working tool to cause it to trip backward upon striking an obstructiomand the runner is generally provided with an upwardly curved, forward edge to assist it in riding over the obstruction. However, the

4 clams. (cl. inf-ss) runner and its supporting mechanism, which ride directly behind the furrow opener, are subjected to severe shocks when the obstruction is encountered, sometixnes' resulting in severe damage to the runner.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a flexibly mounted runner, and one of the objects is the provision of means for permitting the runner to ride over obstructions independently of the plow and covering apparatus.

Another object is to provide means for urging the runner into ground-engaging position and means for permitting the runner tov rise in a vertical plane when an obstruction or uneven ground is encountered.

With these and other objects in view, a pair of generally parallel, vertically spaced links is provided, the forward ends of which are pivotally mounted upon vertically extending plates amxed to the plow beam, and the rear ends of which provide the sole support for the runner standard with which is associated the dispenser spout of the seed dispensing mechanism. The runner is biased to ground-engaging position by means oi' a compression spring mounted upon a bolt pivoted at one end upon the lower link and slidably extending through a swivel keyed to the upper link. Upon the runner striking an obstruction, it moves upwardly against the action of the spring and, upon passing the obstruction, is again urged to ground-engaging position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rear portion of a tractor with one wheel removed and with a.

planter connected thereto embodying the features of the present'I invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the planter showing a ground-working tool inthe form of a sweep and illustratingthe mounting of the runner;- and Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the mechanismvsho'wn in Figure 2 with parts broken away to show the; parallel link and compression spring mounting of the planter runner.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral Il des- 'ignates the longitudinally extending body portion' of a tractor having a transverse rear axle ii and rear wheels i 2. Connected to the body portion lo oi the tractor is a depending bracket i3 to which a beam I4 is connected. as at i8, for vertical pivotal movement. The beam I4 extends rearwardly beyond the rear; axle structure and supports a transverse tool bar i8 upon which is mounted a. planter unit generally indicated at i1. While onlyon'e planter unit is shown in the drawing, it should be understood that a. number of similar units may be mounted upon the tool bar I8 at spaced points therealong. The planter unit is mounted upon the tool bar i6 'by means of a bracket I8 and includes a vertical plow beam I'B having an earth-working tool in the form of a sweep 2li attached to the base thereof. Projecting rearwardly from the upper part of the beam i9 is a bracket 2l upon which is mounted a seed can 22 provided vwith a, downwardly extending seed spout 22, and driven by sprockets 24 and 25 connected respectively to the seed can drive gear and the rear axle Il of the tractor. -Power is transmitted from the sprocket 25 to the sprockets 24 by a chain 26. f i

Mounted upon the plow beam i9 by means of vertically spaced bolts 21 and 28 and extending rearwardly therefrom is a pair of laterally spaced plates 29. The bolt 21 extends transversely through the beam I9 and providesa pivotal connection for a coverer frame 43|), the spaced arms 3| and 32 of which are pivoted upon the ends of bolts 21, and the rearwardly projectingendsl of which are joined by a cross-piece 33 uponh'which covering tools 34 are mounted by means Aofdbrack.- ets 35. The arms Ii and 32- are connectedxbya AU-shaped brace 36 having'an opening to receive for sliding movement therein an eye-bolt 81. The eye 38 of the bolt 81. extending downwardly from the brace 36, is pivotally mounted upon a pin 29' extending between arms 40 and 4I of a bracket 42 amxed to `plates 28 by the'bolts 43. The 'upwardly projecting shank of the eye-bolt 31 is surrounded by ak spring 44, and its end is screwthreaded to receive a nut 45 for adjustment of the tensionupon the spring.

A runner standard 46, having the seed spout 23 and its protective sheath 41 associated therewith, extends in a vertical plane between the arms of brackets 20 and 42 land carries at its lower end a runner 48 having an upwardly curved forward cutting edge 48 for opening a seed furrow,

and rearwardly projecting arms Sii within which 3 f d the lower end of the seed spout is eonilned. The

, standard 46 comprises a sheath 5i and an insert member 52 having slots 53 therein and connected by bolts 54 for the adjustment of the runner vwith respect to its standard. The runner with its standard and seed spout assembly is suspended from plates 29 by a parallel link arrangement comprising upper links 55 pivoted upon the runner standard 46 by bolts 56 and upon plates Vertically spaced lower links 58 29 by bolts 51. are generally parallel to the links 55 and are similarly pivoted upon the runner standard and the plates 29 by bolts 59 and 60, respectively. It will be noted that the plates 29 are provided with a number of openings 6| to adjust the angular relation of the parallel links and the angle as sumed by the runner standard with respect to the ground. By this arrangement, it will be observed that the runner I8 will maintain at all times its proper angular relation with the ground being worked so that uniform planting of seedv may be accomplished. In'order to maintain the proper vertical relationship of the runner with lrespect to the other tools and to permit upward vertical ilexing of the runner assembly when obstructions are encountered, the links are con# nected by an eye-bolt and spring arrangement comprising' an eye-bolt 62, having an eye 63 at the lower end thereof pivotally mounted upon a pin 64 extending between the lower links 58 at a point near the pivot of links 58 upon the plate 29. The shank of thevbolt 62 extends upwardly and rearwardly and passes through a swivel member 65 pivoted between the links 55 near the middlethereof by a pin 66. The bolt 62 is adaptedfor sliding movement in the swivel member 65, such movement being limited by a spring 61 abutting against the swivel member at one end and against a nut 68 at its other end. The tension upon the spring 61 is regulated by the adjusting nut 68 upon the threaded end of the bolt 62.

Vertical movement of the entire planter unit with respect to the tractor is effected about the pivot point I by conventional mechanism comprising a iluid cylinder 69, powered from the tractor, connected to a link 10, pivoted upon a bracket ll amxed to the body of the tractor. An arm of the link 10 extends rearwardly and is connected to an arm 12 of a bell-crank 13 pivoted at 14 upon a bracket 15 aixed to the rear axle housing of the tractor. Another arm 16 of the bell-crank is connected by a chain 11 to a bracket 18 afiixed to the rear portion of the beam i4. Rocking of the bell-crank 13 to raise or lower the planter unit is effected byr actuation of the fluid cylinder device 69.

It will thus be noted that a novel and efl'ectivev ilexible mounting for runner openers for seed planters has been provided, wherein the runner has vertical movement independent of the other; tools in the assembly, whereby obstacles en-` countered in planting may be avoided and shocks to the supporting framework prevented. In the drawings the runner is shown in its down ,posi-i tion. When an obstacle is encountered, the ru.n`

ner rises against the tension in the spring 61.

When the obstacle is passed, the compressed springagain .urges the runner into ground-engaging position. The downward movement of the runner is limited by astop comprising a pin 19 extending between the` plates 29 and adapted to contact the lower edge of upper links 55 when the runner is in ground-working position.

A Having now described the invention in its preferred embodiment, it should be understood that changes may be made therein without departing from the Aspirit of the invention or the scope of 5 the appended claims. j

^ What is claimed is:

1. In a planter, a frame, a furrow opener standard connected to the frame, a pair of vertically spaced generally parallel link members pivotally connected to the standard for vertical movement, a runner pivotally connected to the link members for vertical movement therewith, means for adjusting the angular relationship of said link members to vary the angle of the runnery with respect -tc the ground, and yieldable meana connecting said link members' arranged to bias said runner to ground-engaging position.

2. In a planter, a frame, a furrow opener standard connected to the frame, a pair of vertically 20 spaced rearwardly extending link ,members pivotally connected to the standard for vertical movement, a runner pivotally connected tov the rear ends of the link members, means for adjusting the vertical spacing of the pivotal connections of the link members to the said standard, yieldable' means connecting said link members arranged to bias said runner to ground-engaging position, and means for limiting the downward movement of said runner.

3. yIn a planter, a frame, a furrow opener standard connected to thel frame, a pair of vertically spaced rearwardly extending generally parallel link members pivotally connected to the standard for vertical movement, a runner pivotally connected to the rear ends of the link members, means for adjusting the vertical spacing ofthe pivotal connections of the link members to the adapted to bias said runner to ground-engaging pcsitionand to yield upon upward movement of said runner. l 4. In a planter, a frame, a furrow opener standard connectedto the frame, a pair of vertically y spaced rearwardly extending generally parallel link members pivotally connected to the standard for vertical movement, a runner pivotally connected to the rear ends of the link members, means for adjusting the vertical spacing of the pivotal connections of 'the link members to the said standard, an eye-bolt pivoted upon the lower link and having an upwardly projecting shank, a swivel member pivoted upon lthe upper link and having an opening arranged to accommodate said shank for sliding movement therein, an adjustable nut upon the upper end of said bolt,- and a spring surrounding the bolt between said nut and said swivel. r JOI-1N H. McINTYRE.

REFERENCES CITED `The following references file of this patent:

UNrrED STATES PATENTS Name are of record in the 

